


Four years in the making

by Madison



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Cheesy, Eventual Romance, F/M, Festivals, Romance, Tanabata
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:21:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 19,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25206157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madison/pseuds/Madison
Summary: 4 festivals. 3 meetings. 2 souls. 1 legend.
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/Kouga
Comments: 49
Kudos: 100
Collections: Sparks Fly in July





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> HI EVERYONE. Hope everybody is well. The new addition to the family is now 2 months old! I've basically typed this on my phone while he slept on me haha. Forgive the mistakes.
> 
> This is for the kogkag sparks fly event! Week 1: Festival Tanabata&Heat wave

Beads of sweat rolled down the nape of her neck, pooling at the base of it, offering no relief to her moist, sticky skin. She swiped her hand across the glistering flesh, before shaking her hand into the emptiness, drops of sweat splashing around. Her rugged tongue ran across her dry lips, a pasty feeling invading the inside of her mouth. _She would not survive this_. One drop of sweat dripped from her eyebrow and she tilted her head to the side, hoping it would fall unto the ground and spare her fresh ink.

Her fingers glided across the pink ribbon, ensuring that it was tight enough, before releasing it from her grasp. She watched the piece of parchment dangle from the tree branch, the wind softly spinning it, hiding away the wish she had inked upon the white paper. She took a step back, gazing at the other wishes surrounding hers, and she let a sigh escape her lungs. This hadn't been the wish she had in mind originally, but things changed. This was her new wish. She clutched at her chest, the soft fabric of her white and red kimono slipping through her wet fingers.

"Hey! Kagome!"

At the sound of her name, she spun around; the beads hanging from the chopsticks in her hair creating a small _ding_ as she did so. Her bangs were barely swept to the side by the motion, the stickiness of the heat weighing them down, and her bun stayed firmed in place. She locked eyes with her two friends, a smile emerging across her features. "Hey guys!"

Miroku and Sango were holding hands as they approached her. Sango's gaze immediately went to the tree. "Already made a wish?"

"I was feeling… inspired."

"Wished for a better boyfriend?" Sango asked with a quirked eyebrow.

Kagome frowned. "Sango! It's not Inuyasha's fault he had to work tonight."

Yes, they had been planning for today for a long time, but–they had called him in. It was a new job, and he was desperately trying to prove his worth. It didn't help that he had followed his own path in the business world, with no help from his father. She knew this was important to him, and she would never stand in the way of his dream. Was she disappointed? Of course. But that feeling had nothing to do with him, and she didn't want him to feel guilty. She was a big girl and she could spend the evening alone. They had a tendency to easily butt heads and the last thing she wanted was for them to fight. Especially over this.

"Meh."

"I thought you two were gonna try to win some prizes," she asked in a foolish attempt to diverge the topic of the conversation. Sango was friends with Inuyasha, but she didn't consider him to be a good match for Kagome. They had that talk over and over again. Still, Kagome held on to her beliefs; she loved Inuyasha. She always had, always would.

"We did, but then I thought you might be lonely…" Sango didn't want her friend spending the whole evening alone, but she also didn't want her to feel like a third wheel. It was a delicate balance between giving her some space and including her in their activities. If they pushed too much, she would wander by herself, afraid to impose her presence.

"Sango, I'm an adult. I think I can spend a few hours alone."

"But it's a lot more fun with friends."

"You guys are on a date, go enjoy."

"Kagome, we've been together for years. Trust me, there is no magic."

"Now, Sango, my love, if I might interject-" but that was the last word out of his mouth as Sango plastered her palm across the lower part of his face.

"We're happy to have you with us."

"How about, I try to win some prizes, taste delicious food, and we meet up for the fireworks at the end?"

"Kagome…"

"Or I could watch the fireworks by myself?"

"Fine," Sango conceded with a roll of the eyes. "But you better be back here before that first crack in the sky."

"I promise."

She loved her friends, but she didn't need them to be worried about her. It wasn't like her relationship with Inuyasha was in danger or they had a fight. Sure, sometimes they had heated arguments, but they never lasted very long and things would go back to normal within the day. This hadn't been a fight. She had almost pushed him out the door to make sure he went! After 3 years together, she wouldn't be upset over a small festival. Yes, the long hours had made him miss a few engagements, dates and whatnot but she knew if he put in the work now, he would have more free time later. _It was fine_.

Once he was stable, their plans would resume, they would move in together like they had planned a year ago and everything would be back on track. _Yes_.

As she walked through the crowd of happy people, bouncing around, she observed each food cart, trying to find the one that would win her heart. Usually she binged through a few of them, but she also usually had a few more hands to carry the food. She took a step to the side, stirring clear of the walking population, which allowed her to come to a stop as she pondered her options more carefully. Distinct scents tickled at her nose, the odors enough to make her taste the food.

At this point, she didn't know what her favorite part of the Tanabata festival was: the food, the games or the _love_. She might not know that, but there was one thing she knew for sure; she needed to find a spot in the shade. This heat wave would be the death of her. As if wearing her kimono didn't crank up the heat enough by itself. No, it also had to be one of the hottest day in _weeks_.

"Come on, _Ayame._ I told ya I didn't wanna come."

As a loud voice boomed through her ears, Kagome turned around to locate the source of the sound. She found an aggravated stranger leaning against a nearby tree. His blue eyes were narrowed, his brows furrowed as his lips popped loudly. She didn't know what was taller; him or the tree.

" _You_ said _you'd_ be here. Now you're telling me you're stuck at work? And what am I supposed to do? You sprung this last minute, I bailed on the guys, and now you're not coming?" He sighed, his nostrils flaring as he threw his head backwards. "You know what, I don't care. It's fine. It was a stupid idea from the beginning." And those were the last words he spoke before hanging up the phone.

Kagome bit her bottom lip, feeling sympathy for him. She could understand how a sudden change of plan could be disappointing.

"Sorry, guess I was kinda shouting, huh?"

It took her a second before she realized he was talking to her. Startled, her eyes opened wide and a faint blush colored her cheeks. _Caught red-handed_. "Sorry," she said with a wave of the hand. "I didn't- I wasn't trying to listen…"

"I'm kind of a loud mouth," he supplied with a grin. He peeled his body from the tree, his loose black kimono trailing behind him while his brown ponytail swung with each of his motions.

One quick glance at his appearance was sufficient for her to conclude that he was not one for traditional clothes–it looked like a child tried to get into his parent's kimono. She pinched her lips together, preventing them from stretching further than they already had. He had already caught her eavesdropping; she didn't want him to catch on that his appearance amused her. One embarrassing situation was enough for the night.

"I shouldn't have been listening," she offered, waving her hands in front of her as a peace offering. "I- I _was_ trying to figure out what to eat and then -"

"Yeah, the smell of food has been driving me crazy since I got to this stupid thing."

Kagome raised an eyebrow, her head tilting to the side. "Not a fan?"

A long drawn-out sigh made his chest bob up and down. He flattened his palm across his forehead, shuffling his brown bang to the side. "I - It's the first time I come to one of these. I only came for my girlfriend – she loves it, apparently. And now she can't come. I – don't know even know what it's about."

"Are you sure you're Japanese?" she asked, covering her mouth as though it would muffle her obvious laughter.

"I grew up oversea. I only came back a few years ago," he explained, closing the distance between them.

"You're in luck," she said, dropping her hand back to her side. "My boyfriend got held up, and I've been coming to this festival every year for as long as I can remember!"

He was forced to pause for a second; if Ayame found out he spent the evening with another girl, she would rip him a new one. Even though, it was nothing. She was a stranger; he didn't know her – _she was also taken_. He should walk away _in case_. But – _well,_ he had gotten dressed up for this thing and Ayame had made such a big deal about it. Maybe he could take this opportunity to learn about it and then next time he wouldn't be so fucking clueless about it. Something like that would make Ayame happy. Maybe he would leave out the _cute girl_ out of the story though.

"You sure? You don't have anyone waiting for ya? Friends?" He almost wanted to say _are you sure your boyfriend won't mind_ , but he held himself back. Why?

"My friends are here as a couple and I'm not feeling up to being a third wheel."

He nodded. "I get that." He threw his hands up. "In that case, I guess the answer is yes... as long as we start with the food first."

"You've got yourself a deal," she replied with a smile.

There was no way she would tell Inuyasha _how_ she spent the festival, but she had to admit, it beat wandering around by herself. At least he was in a similar situation and what kind of person would she be if she didn't help him learn about this heartbreaking festival? Her evening would go faster and there were less chances of Miroku and Sango spotting her since they would be on the lookout for a _lonely_ girl.

This was perfect.

"I'm Kagome by the way," she said, offering him her hand to shake.

He wasted no time in returning the gesture, his tan skin feeling warm against hers. "Nice to meet you, Kagome. I'm Kouga."

"Well, _Kouga_ , let's get you some food and then break your heart."

A little laughter bubbled out of her, causing a pinching sensation to travel through his heart. He resisted the urge to clutch at his chest as he watched the smile overtake her face. He _knew_ she had to be talking about the festival and yet, his heart needed a second before it stopped racing. Her grey eyes were shielded from his view as she leaned forward, retracting her hand away from his, letting it fall into the emptiness.

"Lead the way," he replied with a surprisingly steady voice.

 _Strange_.

~F~

"Gotta admit, the food makes it worth it," Kouga shared between bites.

"Seems like the only thing making it worth my while," he replied back as he bundled the napkin from his food, turning it into a ball before tossing it into a nearby garbage.

"It's not that bad."

"A tree full of wishes, romantic games all over the place? Dressing up? Not really my scenery – especially when my girlfriend cancels on me."

"Good point." She knew the feeling all too well. "Still, getting ditched isn't as bad as being separated forever."

"What do you mean?"

"The legend. You see, the reason we celebrate is... _to put it simply_ there was a princess Orihime, she was a seamstress and she fells in love with Hikoboshi, a cow herder. They both lived on a different side of the Milky Way which is like a river. She stopped weaving, he stopped herding his cows which angered her father. He forbade them to be together forever – but for his daughter he made an exception; on the 7th day of the 7th month, they get to meet. Magpies forms a bridge for them to cross the river and they can be together."

He blinked once. Then twice. "And this was supposed to break my heart?"

Without thinking, she smacked his arm – as though he was a familiar presence in her life. " _Come on_. It's romantic."

He bunched up his nose. "They stopped working, they got punished and they can see each other once a year? Why don't they give up, and move on?"

It wasn't like he was unfamiliar with the concept of love. He _loved_ Ayame, he did. Would he stay with her if there was no other choice but to not be together? Why the constant pain, why put yourself through something like that? How could one day together be worth the days of unhappiness and loneliness that followed? It didn't make sense. There was love and then there was insanity. What kind of person made it worth it? What kind of person would represent so much in one's world that seeing them one single day a year was worth the suffering? Wouldn't it be easier to spare each other the pain and move on?

"Because they loved each other." Did one need another reason? You didn't just _give_ _up_ on someone you love – no matter the hardships. She was a true believer in true love. If you love someone, you had to do everything and anything you could do. Giving up because of a hurdle didn't make sense.

"But they can't be together. What's the point?"

"Love finds a way."

"One day a year?"

"Yes."

He chuckled. "Sorry, I'm raining on your parade. I just – look I don't think it's worth it."

"Are you sure you've been in love?" As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them. She didn't know him enough to comment on his life, and his love life. Especially considering the fact that he _had_ a girlfriend. Her cheeks burned red and she looked at the ground. Beads of sweat dripped from her forehead to her eyes, getting caught in her eyelids but she was too ashamed of what she had asked to make a motion and wipe them off.

"I'm guessing not the same way you have," he settled on replying. He dressed up and came to this stupid thing. If that wasn't love, he didn't know what was.

"I - we've been together for a long time."

"First love?"

She nodded. "We've been friends since we were 5 years old, but we've been together since we were 16 years old."

"True love?"

She blushed, unsure if he was teasing and mocking her or if he was serious. "I would like to think so. I know what you're gonna say, I'm still young, I haven't been with anybody else. But he's more than just a boyfriend, he's... my best friend."

He nodded. Most of the girls he had dated weren't his friend first. Obviously, they were close andh e'd like to think that there was a friendship within their relationship, but it was impossible to match the level of friendship she had with her other half. "I get that." He leaned to the left. "By the way, I wasn't gonna say any of that."

"Most people do."

"I was actually gonna say something else."

"Oh?"

"You believe in the one true love right?"

"Yes."

"Do you believe you only get one true love?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you say he's your true love. He was 16 years old you's true love." He shrugged. "What about... how old are you?"

"24."

"How about 24 years old Kagome? Is she the same person as 16 years old you? Does she want the same thing? Are you two still going in the same direction? Or was he your true love back then and then, older you has a new one waiting out there for you?"

Kagome stopped in her tracks, feeling the weight of the heat as the wind died down. Her lips parted, but there were no sounds because she didn't know what to answer. Was he being a jerk? Was he asking a legitimate question? Did she even have an answer for him? _Of course she did._ Inuyasha. Inuyasha was the _one_. There were no questions. It didn't matter what path they took, they were still going forward in the same direction.

Kouga took a few more steps before it dawned on him that he was walking alone. He turned his head to the side, watching as Kagome's head dipped forward. _Shit_. "Fuck," he said as he took long strides to get back to her side. "Sorry - _fuck_. I didn't mean – I'm an ass aren't I?" He was alone, lost and she offered her company and now he had hurt her feelings. _Fuck_. "I - I wasn't thinking. I didn't mean that you two should break up or that it ain't gonna work. I- I have a different view on this shit and I was wondering – I didn't mean to be an asshole." He was a fucking idiot.

Her lips popped before she lifted her head to meet his gaze. She dismissed him with a wave of the hand, a smile on her face. "It's fine! I get it." Most people her age had lost the idea of the fairytale love – and that was alright. "Plus, you say that but, you're here aren't you?"

"And I look like a damn idiot," he said with a smirk.

"But you did it anyway."

He sighed, putting his hands on his hips before arching his back. "I guess."

"Maybe if you stopped being so serious about everything, you'd be happier."

"And that's something you've figured out about me in the last hour and a half?"

She nodded. "You take everything seriously. You don't like wasting time. You don't believe in true love." She shrugged. "It wouldn't hurt to believe a little. Sometimes, you have to let it go." Maybe her relationship with Inuyasha would be more strained if she hung on to every little thing. Sure, he was busy with another aspect of his life right now. But that was part of the big picture. However, despite how difficult some moments might be, she _believed_ things would work out. They had to – _because._

 _"_ I've learned that blind faith can be a bad thing."

He had been fooled before and it wasn't something he intended on repeating. Trustworthiness and loyalty were important for him but he was quick to realize that most people didn't operate that way. When push came to shove, a lot of people would selfishly think of themselves before they thought of others. He didn't see why he needed to lay his life down for someone who would not be willing to return the gesture. It that situation, the best plan was to remain guarded. That way, no one could rip your heart apart.

"It must be lonely then."

"What must be lonely?"

"Your life."

She didn't know him. They had just met – and still, she talked to him as though she knew him. He could easily say the same thing. He could say that being fooled and believing in things that were imaginary, unreal, was a sad reality. But he didn't. The way she stared at him with her big grey eyes, shining in the darkness of the night... he didn't have it in him to shatter her vision of the world. He almost envied her actually.

" _A pond!"_

He was unable to answer her question as she dashed in direction of a small pond a few meters away from the festivities – though it looked a little too large and deep to be a pond. He watched as she gripped the edge of her kimono, lifting it and exposing her ankles to his eyes. She ditched her wooden sandals by kicking her feet off the ground, one by one, and then, she went in. Kagome dipped her head backwards, a smile stretching across her face before she turned around to face him. It wasn't much, but it was enough to cool her off a little.

"You coming?"

"In the pond?"

"What, you don't believe in fun either?" she teased.

He smirked, a soft shake of the head before he let it fall forward. "Are you trying to bait me?"

She turned away from him, venturing further into the water. "Nope, just trying to figure you out."

"Good luck with that." Regardless, he moved forward, heading in her direction. He never stopped staring at her, not even when he removed his own sandals to join her. It wasn't the worst idea; it was fucking _burning_ hot tonight.

The water felt icy as he dipped his feet in, but he kept moving forward until he was next to her. He watched as she looked up at the sky, searching the stars.

"Looking for a shooting star?"

She shrugged. "You never know."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you believe in everything?"

"Why don't you?"

He chuckled. " I asked first."

"I don't think bad experiences mean nothing good will ever happen. Painful things happen all the time. Wouldn't it be sad if we gave up because of them? No one will ever have a perfect life. You have to fight for what you want, for who you love." She turned her head, meeting his gaze. "You hate this, your girlfriend loves it – so you came. You're fighting for her aren't you?"

"I guess." She wasn't wrong but... "And that's why you love coming to this thing so much?"

He didn't know her. Whatever she said tonight would die with this stranger. "Actually - _well_ I haven't - I haven't really told anyone this."

"Not even your boyfriend?" he teased.

She shook her head. Not even Inuyasha. This wasn't his favorite activities; too many scents, too many people... too much noise. She didn't want him to feel guilty whenever he missed it.

 _Oh_. He didn't expect the answer to be _no_.

"My dad used to take me. He'd actually have a little kiosk – I'm – he was a monk. We have a shrine. And – he used to sell some scrolls and charms to ward off evil. My grandpa would insist every year. But then, he'd let him go early and my dad would put me on his shoulder and we'd walk around the festival. We'd try all the food, watch the fireworks... _just the two of us_." She glanced down, staring at the reflection of the moon in the water. "He died when I was 7. A car accident."

" _Shit_ , I'm sorry." If he didn't feel like an asshole already...

"It's okay. I have good memories of my dad. I'm luckier than my brother. My mom was pregnant with him when he died... so I'm lucky."

Now he felt like he was moody over nothing and he did feel bad for dismissing the whole festival. Obviously, he didn't know – but it didn't change the weight he felt on his chest. Yet, from where he stood, he could see a smile on her lips; she was happy. How was it that she could be so positive, no matter what? He grew up with a grind and fight, a survival instinct. This? He wasn't familiar with it. You get what you get and there was no changing that. She didn't see it that way. It was _captivating_.

He wanted to ask more, he wanted to understand _._

The sky lite up with the different colors of the fireworks, a loud boom echoing through the vicinity, breaking both of their trains of thoughts. Kagome tilted her head backwards, admiring the night sky with a smile adorning her face. This was the best part of the festival. Usually it included sitting on the grass with Inuyasha and their friends with cotton candy in their hands. _Oh crap_. Her friends! Kagome smacked both hands on her face, her own stupidity catching back. She said she would meet them up for the fireworks! If she didn't go, Sango would get worried and she would go looking for her. She didn't want Sango to find her here with Kouga – _not that they were doing anything wrong_. But Sango would ask questions and assume things were a certain way when they were not!

She wasn't in the mood for that.

"I'm so sorry," she said, tilting her head back straight. "I'm supposed to meet my friends for the fireworks – they'll get worried if I don't show up."

"No worries," he said, meeting her glance. "I've already stayed to this thing way longer than I should have," he said before laughing. "Trust me, I can't wait to get out of this fucking outfit."

She smiled. "I don't think you hated it as much as you say."

"I'll sleep on it." He almost added it _and I'll tell you in the morning_... but he couldn't. He wasn't going to see her again. They both happened to be alone for the evening. They both had someone waiting for them. This didn't make them friends or anything – it was _a pleasant_ evening. Nothing more. Plus, if he came back home with another girl's number in his phone, Ayame would rip him a new one. Even if it was innocent.

This was it. A random encounter and nothing more.

Kagome popped her lips, unsure how to proceed. He had been friendly, but – but he was a stranger and boy would Inuyasha have a fit if he knew about this. It was best to leave it as it was but she didn't want to appear rude or anything. Yes, he had different opinions than she did, but it didn't mean she didn't enjoy their conversations. She should thank him, say good bye and be on her way. It was the optimal way to walk away from this... oh... but there was...

One thing.

"Don't forget to make a wish!"

"A wish?"

She nodded. "You write it down and you tie it to one of the trees over there," she said, pointing into the distance. "It's half the festival."

"And what am I supposed to wish for?"

"Anything. Maybe you could ask for a little faith _,"_ she said with a smile. "Might be good for you."

"We'll see."

"Good night Kouga."

"Good night Kagome."

She offered him a small wave before turning her back on him, walking away into the distance. There was a _slush_ of the water as she put her feet on the dry land, but she didn't turn around. She slipped her feet back into her sandals, and began climbing the small hill that separated her from the festival. He watched her, his feet in the water, as she disappeared into the growing crowd. This hadn't been the evening he had expected and yet...

 _And yet_.

~F~

"Hey, what happened to you?"

"Sorry, I lost track of time," Kagome said as she plopped down on the grass next to her friend.

Sango eyed her kimono, noticing the bottom of it was soaking wet. "Did you go swimming?" she inquired with an arched eyebrow.

"I- -" There was a moment, a pause where she considered what she should say next. She didn't want to get into it. "I kinda – I wasn't looking and I stumbled into the pond." The words left a bitter taste in her mouth. She didn't like lying – especially not to Sango. She knew she didn't want the questions, the suppositions that would come with telling the truth – but shouldn't she tell her friend? _Too late now._

Sango stared at her, trying to make eye contact but Kagome would not glance her way. _She was lying_. Why was she lying? Sango tried to look around, hoping something would give her a clue as to what her friend was keeping to herself but she didn't spot anything out of the ordinary. She considered grilling her, forcing her to spill the secrets she was keeping but she decided to let it go. Kagome was not a liar. There was something going on.

Had she broken up with Inuyasha? That would be good news.

She wouldn't pressure her – for now.

Instead, she retrieved a bag of popcorn from the ground and tossed it her way. "Eat."

"Thanks," Kagome said, hiding a sigh of relief.

She tilted her head to the left, watching from afar the spot she had been moments ago. She couldn't see him. Maybe he had stayed, maybe he had left.

She would never know.

~F~

He chuckled to himself as he hurried to tie up his red ribbon to the tree, a smile brightening his face. This was stupid – wishes didn't come true. And his wish? It didn't make sense. But he did it anyway. Kouga took a step back, watching his paper dangling from a branch, surrounded by other silly wishes. A lot of people were putting their faith into this legend, into the universe – thinking the universe owed them something. Apparently, he was one of them now.

_Experience True Love_

What a joke.

He turned his head back to stare at the crowd of people admiring the fireworks and he found his glance searching for the only familiar head in the sea of watchers.

It didn't exist. You couldn't _meet_ someone and have them be the one. You couldn't possibly care about someone more than you cared about yourself.

Could you?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the love everyone! I'm really happy to be writing again, kinda gives a sense of normalcy to this whole crazyness! Things are better here where I live, but you know, it's a new reality!
> 
> This is for week 2 of Sparks Fly in July. Prompts: Fireworks / First Kiss

Blurry digits.

A buzzing sound.

Everything was in slow motion until her eyes finally focused again and she could make out Sango's frame in front of her. Her friend was frantically waving her hand, trying to get her attention. It hadn't worked - until now. Kagome blinked, chasing away the thoughts that flooded her mind and put on her best smile for Sango.

"Sorry - I was distracted."

Sango sighed before glancing sideways, giving Miroku a look of worry. "I told you we should have kept her at home."

"I'm right here," Kagome pointed out, her head tilted to the side. "You don't have to talk about me like I'm not. And I'm _fine_."

Miroku knew better than to disagree with Sango but he was smart enough to realize that Kagome was not a foe he wanted either. In this case, there was no winning. "I will - _wait over there_ ," he said, pointing at the nearby food kiosks. Before either of them could disagree, he had slipped away.

He might not be willing to confront her about this, but she was. A _good_ thing had happened. Of course, to her friend, it was not a good thing _yet_. It would be once she would realize everything she had to gain from her recent change in _relationship_ status. For now, she would be a good friend and put aside her feelings and do what was best for Kagome. "Why don't we go back to our place, we'll put on a movie, eat ice cream and -"

"I don't need to wallow Sango," she interrupted. "I've never missed a festival, and I'm not about to start now." She straightened herself, hoping the change of posture would somehow convince her friend that she was ready for this. It was good; it was a distraction and she welcomed it.

"Kagome… you two were together for a long time. It's okay if you need some time."

"I'm the one who ended it. I'm fine."

To say that Sango didn't believe it was an understatement. Kagome had yet to explain _why_ she had dumped Inuyasha and even though she had been waiting for that moment for a long time… it didn't make sense. Through it all, Kagome had stuck by his side, and even now, it was clear that she still loved him. Why end the relationship? It didn't add up and the fact that Kagome refused to provide details only made it more suspicious. The events were recent, so she would let her get away with it for now, but eventually, she would get the bottom of this. _This one time_ , she would play along and let her get away with her secrets.

" _Fine_. But no running off by yourself this time. I won't allow it."

"Yes ma'am."

For the first time, she didn't feel like walking down the stone path. She didn't want to try out all of the food, she didn't want to partake in the laughter. She wanted to sit by the pond, the same spot she used to sit at with her dad. She wanted to wait for the fireworks to light up the sky and engulf the night - but if she did it, she'd have to share the truth with Sango and she didn't want to do that. She loved her friend, but she couldn't handle this right now. Sango was not a fan of their relationship and none of this would help. She didn't need to hear someone bad mouth Inuyasha, she didn't need to be told that it should have been over a long time ago. It wasn't what she needed right now. Because most of it would be untrue. So, she would go along with Sango's activities because it was what was easiest for her.

"Kagome?"

The voice sounded foreign and far away. She blinked, unable to put a face to the deep tone of voice rumbling through her body. She turned around, her face scrunched up as she studied the tall man in front of her. Long ponytail? Check. Piercing blue eyes? Check. Dashing smile? Check. " _Kouga_."

"Who now?" Sango said with a smile beaming on her lips. She didn't know who tall, dark and handsome was, but she was going to find out. The fact that Kagome _knew_ someone like this was shocking in itself and _perfect timing_.

"Oh - hm," Kagome began as she took a step backwards. "Sango, this is Kouga." She flashed a smile at Kouga. "Kouga, this is my friend Sango."

"Nice to meet ya Sango," Kouga said as he offered his hand.

Sango took it, never losing the grin on her face. "Nice to meet you," she replied as she side eyed Kagome, her eyes hinting that she _owed_ her a bit of an explanation.

"We met last year, at the festival. His girlfriend ditched him…"

"Inuyasha had ditched you…"

Hearing that name _wasn't_ exactly what she wanted at the moment, but she let it slide, barely showing its effect on her. "And so I ended up showing Kouga around. He'd never been to one of these."

"Good thing you were there - and _free_." That word held another meaning, but Sango knew Kouga wouldn't pick up on it. Kagome on the other hand… "So what brings you here this year?" Sango asked, glancing around, trying to spot anyone who would like _girlfriend-y_. Nope. No one. "Girlfriend ditched ya again?"

He chuckled; he didn't know much about Kagome, but he could easily tell that the two girls had very different personalities. "Actually, for a girlfriend to ditch you, you need to _have_ one."

"So single then?" she asked without skipping a beat. _Interesting_.

His glance shifted from Sango to Kagome a few times before he settled on Sango. "Yes."

Kagome's lips popped open but she tried to remain silent. Single? It _had_ been a whole year; as was proven by recent events, a lot of thing could happen in a year. It was impossible for her to read through his expression and figure out if it was a recent event, or even if it went down the way _he_ wanted. But, that was not for her to ask unless it was information he wanted to provide. After all, hanging out together one evening a year ago hardly made them friend or anything. She didn't even know if they qualified as acquaintance at this stage. Even if she had shared some things with him that she hadn't told a lot of people…

"You know - this is perfect. Miroku and I had some plans. And Kagome here was going to be _all_ by herself…"

"What- I thought -"

Before Kagome could utter another word, Sango wrapped her arm around her, squeezing her shoulder. " _And now_ it looks like you're here. All alone too. Isn't this perfect?" She tapped Kagome's shoulder a few times before releasing her from her grip. As she pulled away from her friend, she made sure to whisper in her ear. "I'm gonna need _a lot of details_ missy." She put a smile back on her face and pushed Kagome in direction of Kouga. " _You two have fun_."

Kagome stood there, her mouth open, her jaw slacked as Sango walked away from them, a pep in her step. Once the crowd swallowed her, Kagome turned around to face Kouga. " _I am so sorry_ ," she said, covering her face with her hands. "Listen, please, go about your evening, I'll catch up to her. I'm sure you have somewhere to be." Sango was known to be bold, but Kagome was not going to impose her presence on a _stranger_. Considering how much he had _disliked_ it the first time around, she doubted he came here by himself. He probably had someone to meet, or something to do. Maybe he was trying to impress a new girl.

"Actually I don't."

"Excuse me?"

"I don't have somewhere to be. I'm here by myself."

 _Honestly_ , he wasn't going to come. There was no reason to come. Ayame and him were history, no one he knew was coming… but he walked by. He walked by and he walked into the festivities without a precise goal in mind… _until_ he saw her.

Unlike last time, he wasn't dressed the part; he had simple jeans on with a black t-shirt. She looked left and then right, trying to spot someone close to him, but there was no one. "You came here alone?"

He shrugged. "Last year wasn't so bad. I figured I could repeat the experience."

"Minus the clothes?"

"I was _not_ wearing that shit again." So, he told a small white lie. It wasn't the end of the world. It would be weird to explain to her the truth behind his appearance here and the last thing he wanted to do was appear _creepy_. "So, boyfriend ditched ya again?" he said, trying to re-direct the conversation.

Kagome popped her lips before holding her palms up and out. "Actually, we broke up."

There it was. The first time she said these words out loud since it had happened. She told Sango it was _over_ and never spoke of it again. And now? The first time she spoke of it since then, and she was telling a stranger about it. Why? Maybe because he wasn't part of her life, her world. It was easier. She was tired of the pity looks, the speeches of motivation - she didn't want to hear any of it. The one thing she truly desired was to move on with her life. She couldn't go back, but she could go forward and that was what she wanted.

"Oh." How could he forget about her blinded belief in true love? How could he forget the faith she had in love, positivity and fate? Despite it all, there she was, standing in front of him with a smile on her face while telling him that something she believed in wasn't true. What could he possibly say to that? "I'm sorry."

"It's fine." She chuckled. "I bet I look pretty stupid right now huh?"

"Are you hungry?" he said, dismissing her question.

"What?"

"I can vividly remember those delicious rolls from last year."

She bit on her bottom lip as she nodded. "I'm in."

"Good."

-F-

"So?"

"So?"

Kagome pulled her ice cream away from her now cold lips and turned to give him _the_ look. "At which point do we start sharing _sappy_ stories?"

He raised his eyebrows, his eyes glowing with mischief. "Is that what we're supposed to do? I thought we were here to _honor love_ ," he teased.

She shoved herself in his side, never stopping her steps. "You don't have to mock me you know."

"I'm not mocking. I mean it."

"Sure."

"Why do you think I'm _single_?"

This time, the words were enough to shock her. Kagome came to a brutal halt, a trembling hand flying to her chest as his words played on repeat in his head. "W-what?"

He finished his current step before copying her and stopping in the pedestrian path. He sighed, his chest rumbling under the pressure. "I mean, you kept talking about _love_ \- true love. I thought about it and - I realized that wasn't gonna happen with her so, we ended things." He met her once - one night. It was nothing more than that. Yet her words had stayed with him and they ended up affecting his life, the way he proceeded with his relationship. It wasn't _entirely_ because of her. There had been something wrong at the core from the beginning; Ayame and him… they were different but not in a way that worked. She was _intense_ in everything she did, in all of her emotions. She didn't have a lick of self control. He couldn't be this reckless and so he wasn't. Their differences were too hard to reconcile and it was going to fail eventually. Better sooner than later.

She didn't exactly see things his way, but that was another story. One he intended on keeping to himself.

"I-i'm sorry. I never meant - I didn't want…" Did she end a relationship? _Idiot_.

 _Fuck_. He waved his hands in front of his body, closing the distance between them. "Hey- you didn't do it. I did. I was going to come to that conclusion eventually. Trust me, saved me a lot of times. Plus I got to learn some things about her… like she's the type of girl who will key your car. That was fun."

Tension permeated the air, but it didn't prevent her from bursting in laughter. "Are you serious?"

He nodded. "Oh - and the slashed tires were a nice touch."

"I guess you're welcome then." Guilt nestled deep inside of her, but she kept that to herself; he didn't need to worry about a stranger's feelings.

"Dodged a bullet indeed."

And now he was single. And so was she it seemed…

"What about you? Can I ask what happened? What happened to true love?"

"It's a little cold for the pond this year," she said, staring right through him.

At first, his brows were furrowed as he tried to decipher her words. Then, he decided to follow her line of sight and found himself staring at the pond - the one they splashed around in. "A little bit." As hot as last year had been, there was a chill draft in the air this year. Enough to bring goosebumps to the surface of his skin, but he hadn't been bothered by it, despite his bare arms. "Too cold to play in, but nice and secluded enough to talk." He gestured in front of them. "Lead the way."

She did.

She walked off the cement path and made her way to the green grass. She found a spot near the water, and she sat down. Once her rear was on the ground, she kicked off her shoes, feeling the blades of grass beneath her skin. He silently joined her, staring ahead at the calm water for a few seconds before he plopped down on the ground. Unlike her, who had her legs stretched out, he wrapped his arms around his legs, pushing them against his chest. He didn't stare at her, he didn't put any pressure on her. His story was a _happy_ one in a way. He was fine. He wasn't sad, he didn't hold on to hope or anything - but he had a feeling that hers had played out a little differently. Considering how she had spoken of her relationship, he was convinced she was dumped - although why someone would dump her? He didn't have a clue. He might not know much about her, but he had a feeling of what kind of person she was.

She could lite up a room by walking in it.

She loved, she laughed, she believed.

What could be wrong with any of those things?

"I ended it."

 _Well. Not what he had expected_.

"You?"

She nodded. She hadn't told Sango that. She had only said it was over. In a way, it felt nice to say it out loud.

"Can I ask why?"

"Why I left my true love?" she asked, amusement laced in her voice.

"A little yeah."

"I wasn't his." She tilted her head to the left, her bangs swiping in that direction as well. "He - he loved someone else."

"He cheated?" _What kind of fucking moron_ …

"No."

"Then how do you know?"

"I just knew. He wouldn't have done anything about it. He didn't even tell me about it. I _saw it_." The way they were together, the way they interacted; there was a spark in his eyes that he never had with her. "He wouldn't - he wouldn't have left me for her. He cares about me, he didn't want hurt me. But how's that fair? If I love him, that means I want him to be happy. And he wasn't happy with me. At least, not the way he could be happy with her. So I let him go. Guilt free." He fought it, he argued over it, but in the end - he did go. He stopped fighting for them, for her. The fact that he _could_ let her go after all these years confirmed that she had made the right decision.

She breathed out slowly, allowing her lungs to empty fully before she looked into his eyes, a smile back on her face. "Maybe he was my true love and I wasn't his. Or maybe we weren't true love. Maybe I haven't met the right person. If he was happier with someone else, maybe I will be too." Or maybe she was blinding herself to the truth, much like she had convinced herself that they were _it_. It was too recent for her to be able to tell the difference.

"I think he is an idiot."

"Didn't you let go of someone because you thought you'd both be happier with someone else?"

 _Ouch_. She wasn't wrong but - "Yeah, but, she wasn't someone like you."

"Maybe this girl is someone like me."

"I doubt it." He inched himself closer. "If she was like you, he wouldn't have let _you_ go."

"You know, you don't _actually_ know me."

"I know enough."

"Yeah, like what?"

"You're passionate. You fiercely protect the ones you love. You put everyone's happiness above your own. You don't like to be a burden to the people close to you. You're kind. You're loving. You're trustworthy…"

"All that, from meeting me twice… a year apart?"

"It's hard to miss." It was hard to ignore. _She_ was hard to ignore.

"Maybe you have it all wrong?"

"Do I seem like the type of guy who likes to be wrong?"

"I don't know - I don't know you enough to know that."

He was blunt, driven and he seemed to go through life without hesitation. He wasn't sure about his relationship? He moved on from it. She had felt that something was wrong for a long time and she deluded herself into thinking that all was well. He didn't go through things the same way she did. She kind of admired that kind of drive. Maybe if she was more like that, she would have moved on from her relationship a lot sooner - but at this point, there was no way to know.

"Then ask."

"Ask what?"

"Ask me anything you want."

She was starting from a blank slate. She didn't know where to begin, what to ask. "What changed your mind about the festival?"

He chuckled. Of all the questions she could have asked him, this is the one she landed on? "You."

 _Bold_. Once again. "Why?"

"You believe in the magic of it all so much… figured the least I could do was try." It wasn't entirely true but it wasn't entirely false either.

"By yourself?"

"I thought I might be lucky and run into another kind soul to help me out of my misery."

"Lucky you." Was it luck though?

"Lady luck loves me." He cleared his throat. "Next question?"

"What do you do?"

"As a job?"

"Yeah."

"Firefighter."

"Oh." She pinched her lips together, trying to hold in a laughter. "Like a calendar firefighter?"

"Why, do you wanna buy one?"

If she didn't know any better, she would say that he was trying to flirt her - but she knew better right? Attention from men wasn't something she was used to since Inuyasha was protective and they dated for so long. She didn't know if she had any skills when it came time to pick up if someone was flirting with her or not. He couldn't be right? She wasn't _blind_. He was handsome - a little too handsome. It was even more obvious now that he was wearing much more fitted clothes than the last time they had seen each other.

"Well, if it's for charity…" she dared to reply.

"And you?"

"Teacher."

Somehow, he knew enough to be certain that it was a job well suited for her. "Little kids or grumpy teenagers?"

"Little kids."

"I can see that. Any other questions?"

She shook her head. "You know, you can't _ask_ questions to know someone. I mean, they tell you a little but - you have to _get_ to know someone."

"Now, now, you believe in true love, but you don't believe you can size up someone in one meeting - even two?"

"No, that's not it. I think - Even if I ask questions, getting to know someone…"

"Can't be measure in a feeling?"

She didn't even know how to explain it. You had to get a feeling of the person, slowly - through what they said, what they did. You could say one thing and then do another.

"Well, what was your first impression?"

That he was handsome, but she couldn't exactly tell him that now could she? Especially considering the fact that she had been in a relationship when they first met. It wouldn't be appropriate. "You seem nice?"

"You saw me yelling on the phone, and you thought, wow, what a nice guy?"

 _Busted_. "I thought you might be lonely and upset and you could use the company." She sighed. "Truth be told, _I think_ it was more about me feeling that way."

"Fair enough. Then again, I did say yes because you looked… _beautiful_."

"Didn't you have a _girlfriend_ then?"

"I didn't say I thought about flirting with you. Can't blame me because you're beautiful. It's fact."

She prayed to all the gods she could think of that he couldn't notice the redness of her cheeks as she felt her face heat up. "I don't think beauty is fact - more of an opinion."

"Then in my opinion, you're beautiful."

 _WHAT DID HE EXPECT HER TO SAY?_ "T- thank you."

He offered her a bemused smile before rolling his lips together. "You're fascinating, you know that?"

A flush crept across her cheeks as she suddenly found her legs _very_ interesting. Her body frozen into place she gulped. "Oh?"

He thought last time he might have been upset. His relationship was already shake at that point, and she had come in like a breath of fresh air. A year later, he thought things would have changed, but it was the same. There was something about her that kept him _hooked_. He wanted to know more. He wanted to see her smile over and over again. It was never enough. He wanted another glance, another moment. The way she constantly blushed was also adorable and he wondered; how far could he push it? So far, he hadn't been met with much resistance.

"Are you a risk taker Kagome?"

"No."

"I am."

Her heart stopped the moment he put his hand on her jaw, steadying her head. She held her breath, her eyes flickering, unable to hold his gaze for too long as her cheeks became a deep red color. They both knew exactly what he was going to do, and yet she wasn't stopping him. _He took it as permission to keep going_. And he did. His lips landed on hers, capturing her mouth in a slow, sensual motion. He was demanding, forcing her to open her mouth wider and wider, under his tongue gently swept across her bottom lip, earning himself a gasp from her. He took advantage of it, his tongue exploring the depth of her mouth. Her own tongue shyly remained behind, tucked into the bottom, her arms frozen by her sides while he moved his free hand to her shoulder. Her body began buzzing, his mouth feeling cold from the ice cream he had eaten previously… _mango_ \- that was what he tasted like.

Seconds ticked away, and she felt his thumb inching upwards as he pulled his mouth away from hers. He ran his thumb along the seam of her lips, a soft chuckle echoing through his chest. She panted, her eyes half lidded as she stared at his wet lips. He quickly resumed his initial position, seemingly unaffected by what he had just done.

She couldn't say the same. Kagome looked for words - anything to say to follow that _kiss_ but she was voiceless.

Instead, the sky spoke for her.

There was a large _boom_ , signalling the beginning of the fireworks. Immediately, the sky was filled with colors and both of them turned their attention to the disappearing blackness of the night sky.

"Do you have to get back to your friends?"

Nothing about the kiss. Not a word.

"I think Sango would chase me away with a broom if I showed up right now." She tried to laugh, but she couldn't muster the sound; her heart was still beating too fast, her head still spinning too much.

"Good _."_

They watched in silence as the show continued with Kouga being a lot more focus than she was. Every now and then, she would turn her head to look at him, but he never glanced her way. It wasn't that he didn't notice, but it was entertaining to watch her squirm and it did make him feel a lot more confident about the kiss. After what she had shared, he wasn't sure if he should go for it, but he took up the opportunity. He figured worst case, she turned him down. It wasn't like he would see her again if she said no. It would be embarrassing on the moment and that was it. But she didn't turn him down. Regardless, he knew she was a bit fragile at the moment, and although he went _big_ he didn't want to over do it and screw it up. For the first time, he could feel the thrill of the chase, the desire to pursue her.

He hadn't felt that in a long time.

"Fireworks represent happiness, _celebration_. They symbolize dreams that will come true." It hadn't worked for her last year but, this year? She hadn't made a wish yet. She didn't know what she wanted from life anymore. _And now she knew even less_.

Maybe there was some truth to it but he had a feeling that fate might need a little push. The least he could do was one more proposition.

"Do you have your phone?"

"Yes."

"Can I see it?"

She burrowed her eyebrows before nodding. What could he possibly want with her phone _right now_? After _this._ Still, Kagome retrieved it from her makeshift pocket and held it up for him to see.

"Is it locked?"

"No, why?"

He took it from her, never giving her a chance to protest. She watched as he slowly typed before handing her back the phone. "My number." He stood to his feet, forcing her to tilt her head to keep looking at him. "Use it, don't use it. It's up to you."

Kouga was well aware this was about the worst time to be making a move, but he had already gone as far as kissing her - and she hadn't pushed him away. This way, the ball was in her court. She could never write to him. She could write to him tonight. She could write to him whenever she was ready. There was no pressure and this way, the contact couldn't come from him since he didn't have her number. She believed in fate so much, he was going to play it her way then. She would decide how this would go. If she didn't want to pursue it further - he wouldn't come to these again. Anyways, if it wasn't to run into her, what other reason would he have to come?

He walked backwards, increasing the distance between them slowly. "Don't forget your wish," he said, echoing her words from last year. Except this time, he was the one who was doing the leaving.

"Did you?"

"Did I do what?"

"Make a wish last year."

"I did."

"And? Did it come true?"

He smiled. "Maybe. We'll see I guess." He straightened himself. "Good night Kagome."

"Good night, Kouga."

She held her phone with both her hands, looking up at him from the ground. He turned around a few more times until he was no longer in her line of sight. Her heart was racing as she couldn't even decide if this was appropriate or not. Hadn't she _just_ said goodbye to Inuyasha? Kagome pulled her phone away from her chest, staring at his name against the white screen. _Kouga_. Could she do this? Her transition from friendship to relationship with Inuyasha had naturally happened. She had never really dated or pursued someone. Did she even want to do that? Was she interested? Could she pull it off?

Why the heck not?

In excitement, she hoped to her feet. _That was a mistake_. As she tried to balance herself on her own two feet, she tilted forward. The first thing to go? Her cellphone. She watched, her eyes wide opened, her lips parted as it fell directly into the pond. The splatter from the impact splashed water around, some droplets landing on her arm. Fuck _._ She hurried, burying her hands in the water, fishing for it, hoping to retrieve it. Once her fingers finally glided across it, she pulled it out, her breaths short and rapid. She pressed the power button over and over again, but the screen never lite up. She groaned - _rice wasn't going to fix this_. No, no, no. He had just - she had just - _no_.

Wait. Maybe she could find him.

Forgetting her shoes, she headed into the crowd, her head turning left and right again and again. She looked and searched the sea of people for that brown ponytail, but no matter how much she looked, she never found the one she was looking for. _He was gone_. Her arms dropped limp by her side, her chest caving in as defeat won over her. As her chest tightened, she brought two fingers to her lips, gently pressing them to her mouth.

A kiss.

That would be her only memory.

Surely she wouldn't get lucky three years in a row… especially if she didn't contact him…

She tilted her head backwards, watching the last of the bright lights in the sky, the fireworks dying out.

So much for a year of celebration. After the joy, the lights and the happiness brought by the fireworks, darkness was settling back in.

Maybe she'd wish for something different this year.

-F-


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew. I really thought I was gonna miss the deadline.  
> ONE MORE CHAPTER LEFT!
> 
> I really didn't think people would be upset with last chapter OOPS! Haha. You all might still be upset with me after this one...
> 
> BUT THERES ALWAYS CHAPTER 4 :D 
> 
> Sparks Fly in July, Week 3: Stargazing

Kagome's chin was resting in the palm of her hand as she stared out the window, her lips into a pout. She watched the heavy, loud droplets of rain hit the window over and _over_ again. She was hunched, her shoulder slumping as she ignored the many conversations happening in the background. She tore her eyes away from the window and finally looked around her, noticing the many similarly dressed people filing up the small café. Everyone had run to the same safe haven.

"At least we managed to take shelter before it got bad."

They had been on their way to the festival - with Kagome carrying a sense of dread in her stomach - when suddenly the sky had _fallen_. Lightning flashed the sky, and thunder boomed across the vicinity before the rain began drowning everything in sight. Miroku, Sango and Kagome managed to run into a small nearby café to take refuge. "Yeah," she answered, not looking at her friends.

Miroku leaned into Sango his bangs sweeping to the side. "Is Kagome okay?"

Sango sighed. "She's upset about the phone _incident_." She leaned forward, closing some of the distance between her and Kagome who was sitting across from her. " _She was hoping to see pretty boy."_

Kagome swallowed hard, finally bringing her thoughts back to reality. "No - I - I don't like missing the festival." It was inevitable and rain was always a possibility, but it didn't make it any easier whenever it was cancelled because of it.

"I call _bullshit_. It rained before, and you were never this upset."

"Sango, I met him _twice_. We talked TWO times, one year apart. I think I'm fine."

She used this event for new beginning, for her life to go full circle. Sango and Miroku moved in together _finally_. Inuyasha got _engaged_. Her little brother got a full soccer scholarship. Everyone's lives changed and got better this year. Hers - stayed the same. Which was fine. She would gladly take routine over tragedy but _it felt uneventful._ She was hoping to start fresh, make her wish and move on. Clearly, that was no longer a possibility. It wasn't even supposed to rain today. Life hated her. This was the real reason behind all this. It had nothing to do with her losing Kouga's phone number. _Sure_. She had tried to look him up on social media but - it didn't brought much. She let it go. The odds of running into him this year had been low but now they were not impossible. She doubted it would be any different next year.

" _If you say so_ ," Sango replied, leaning back into her seat.

"I do say so!"

"Come on Kagome. Except for Inuyasha, Kouga is the only guy I've ever seen you talk to in an interested way. And then _nothing_." She knew Inuyasha was a big hurdle for Kagome, but she also knew that her friend was over it by now. How had she not even tried to get back into the dating pool by now? She was a smart, beautiful woman - it wasn't like it would be a hard task for her to find someone to be with her.

Nearby, the name _Kouga_ forced some ears to twitch. Three tables down, a boy with a mohawk leaned backwards, attempting to eavesdrop on the conversation happening near him.

"Hakkaku?"

"Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"Kouga's name."

Ginta arched an eyebrow. "He's not the only Kouga in the world."

"Yeah but Kagome… isn't that the name of _that_ girl?"

"What girl?"

"The one who never called him back?" he said, a little smirk on his face. Kouga wasn't used to being _turned down_. He wasn't exactly chasing every skirt in town, but when he had his eyes set on someone, the feelings were usually easily returned. This was new.

Ginta leaned to the left, trying to see around Hakkaku's head. It wasn't like they had ever since the girl - Kouga had talked about her. A bit intensively. While waiting for anything; a text, a phone call. After a week, nothing came and he started checking his phone a little less. Then the weeks turned into a month and then, after a while, he gave up. It wasn't like he knew where to find her, and he said he had left the choice up to here. He might have been into her, but he wasn't a _stalker_. And so he moved on. If this _was_ the girl, there would be no point in telling him right? She had made it clear that she wasn't into him and it would be a little _pushy_ of him to stalk her down like this. _But_ \- they _were_ talking about Kouga. Why would they mention him, a year later? Unless they were mocking him? Maybe they needed to try to listen a little more…

At the other table, Kagome sighed. "Sango, I don't _need_ a boyfriend."

"You kinda do." She waved her hands as a sign of peace. " _Not_ because you need a man but because it's _you_. You believe in true love. Even… _he_ found someone."

Inuyasha and Kikyo. Their entire relationship had been a whirlwind as they skipped through the steps at an alarming rate. It did show Kagome that she had been right to let him go. He went further with Kikyo in a year than he ever had in their entire relationship. Kikyo was the one for him. She hadn't been. Maybe at some point… in the beginnings, but not anymore. And it was okay. Inuyasha had struggled a lot and if Kikyo was the missing piece of his puzzle then he deserved it and she was nothing but happy for him. It did increase her loneliness, squeeze her heart a tad, but overall? She was happy for them. Now, she needed to figure out where she was heading and - that was okay too. Even if she felt stuck in a rut.

"And I'll find one. _Eventually_ ," she defended. "I lost his number Sango. I'm not gonna go around town knocking on every door. It's done." Maybe fate had been trying to tell her something. Who knew?

Immediately, Ginta and Hakkaku turned to face each other, their jaws a little slack. Had they heard that right? It was true that Kouga hadn't mentioned her in months but it wasn't like he was dating anyone right now. What if he found out that she actually _was_ interested? Maybe it would perk up his own interest in her? Maybe it would convince him to come here, despite his initial refusal to attend the festival with them. Ginta almost chuckled at the thought that if he had just said _yes_ , he would be sitting in this café would them right now, listening to the same conversation they were and all of this would be a lot easier.

"Okay but wait."

"Wait what?" Hakkaku asked, a frown on his face.

"I know it's a _pretty sure_ thing, but shouldn't we - confirm it's her first?"

"How do you wanna do that?"

Ginta leaned into the table, glancing left and then right. "What if we try to take a picture?" he whispered, hoping no wandering ears would pick up on what he said.

"Dude…"

"I know, it's a little creepy. But do you really wanna get his hopes up for _possibly_ nothing?"

Hakkaku sighed before using his hand to flatten his white mohawk. " _Fine_ , but you're playing the role of the creepster."

" _Fine_." Ginta pulled out his phone and lifted it until it was at the same height as Hakkaku's face. He tilted it to the left, trying to get her face into the frame without making it completely obvious he was trying to snap at shot of her. "Turn to the right," he yapped at his friend. "And maybe _smile_. I am taking _your_ photo…"

Hakkaku let the corners of his mouth twitch into a smile, trying to lean back and let _her_ be in the frame as much as possible.

" _There."_

Quickly, he cropped the photo, cutting Hakkaku out of it, and texting it to Kouga with the words _does she look familiar_? And _sent_.

Now all they could do was wait.

-F-

"Are ya gonna pace like this the whole night?"

Kouga's head snapped up as he stared at his colleague Bankotsu. "Sorry?"

"You've been walking back and forth for the past two hours." He leaned back into his chair, tilted his head backwards and closing his eyes. "You're burning me out. Are you praying for a fire or something?"

Obviously, he wouldn't wish for that to open but he couldn't explain his restlessness. Every time he tried to sit down, he found himself hopping back on his feet, pacing the long hallway. Something was _missing_. "Nah, I guess I have too much energy," he tried to justify.

"Well, I'm fucking tired. So sit down. I'm even more tired just looking at ya walking around like a headless chicken."

Kouga chuckled before plopping down in front of him. Too much coffee - that had to be it. Bank was right; if he didn't sit down, he would be burnt out before they even reached the half way point of his 12 hours shift. He straightened his back, trying to focus his attention on the TV in front of him. The volume was low, but the captions were on.

"Here," Bankotsu said as he slid Kouga's cellphone across the while plastic table. "Why don't you swipe on tinder, or make a damn Facebook. That'll keep ya busy."

Kouga snatched his phone with a shake of the head. "Facebook is a waste of time, and I haven't reached rock bottom yet. I'm not gonna find a date on a damn app."

"Suit yourself. You're the one who keeps going home to an empty bed."

"I rather go home to an empty bed than hear Jakotsu go on and on about damn curtains."

Bankotsu offered him a silent answer rather than a verbal one as he raised his hand, showing him his middle finger, a proud smirk on his face.

Kouga chuckled as he turned on his _finally_ charged cellphone. Immediately, a text message alert popped up. It was from Ginta. As soon as he opened it, a photo popped up and for a brief second, his eyes widened. _Was that…_ It was her! Wait. What. The guys had never met her. How could they be sending him a photo of her? He closed the photo, trying to see if there was a message attached to it - an explanation of some sort, but there wasn't. _Fuck_. One thing he did notice though; the timestamp on the text message was over 2 hours ago. _Shit_. He didn't think twice about it as he hit the call button, tapping his foot as he waiting for Ginta to _finally answer the fucking phone_.

" _Hello?"_

 _"_ What the fuck?"

_"Took you long enough!"_

"Why do you have a photo of Kagome?"

" _So it is her_."

"What do you mean it's her?"

_"We were at this café, and we heard your name, her name. So we kinda listened in on the conversation. You know what's funny? She lost your number!"_

He frowned. "I put it in her phone - how could she have lost it?"

_"Don't ask me, but that's what her friend said."_

"Sango?"

_"I think so. I think I heard that name too."_

_"_ Did ya talk to her?"

" _No. We're creepy enough to take her photo, but we're not_ that _creepy_."

None of it added up. How could she lose a number? What did she do? Set her phone on fire two seconds after he gave it to her? He had spent a few hours laying awake at night after he left the festival. He had been so sure she would have called him or texted him that very night. She had returned the kiss, she had seemed interested…. But nothing. Not a peep from her. He thought she mulled it over and maybe he would hear after a few days but nope. Nothing ever came. So unless she somehow wiped her phone that night or the day that followed, none of this made any kind of sense. But she didn't know Ginta and Hakkaku. She couldn't have _made up_ this excuse hoping they would overhear.

What the fuck happened?

"Are you still there?"

" _We're still at the coffee place. She's not. We weren't completely sure it was her, and we felt kinda creepy telling her to stay. We haven't heard from you."_

 _"_ Fuck!"

Kouga looked out the window, the splatters of rain still blurring out the view. Although a drizzle remained, the thunders and lightnings had finally calm down, rendering the outside world a little more hospitable. Maybe she tried to go? Maybe it was no longer enough for them to put off the festival? Wait. What was he saying… he was working… he couldn't leave.

"Do you know where she went?"

" _Nah sorry. I know her friends went one way and she went the other."_

"Did she go left or right?"

" _Left from the coffee shop_."

"Text me the address."

He didn't bother saying goodbye before he hung up the phone and dropped it to his laps. He turned to look at Banks, a smile on his face. "Listen…"

"Is it to go get a hot piece of ass?"

"What?"

"You wanna bawl and you want me to cover. Is it for a hot piece of ass?"

It was crude, he didn't like it. He didn't want to refer to her as such. "Dude -"

"I'll only do it if you're gonna go get some."

Fucking hell. "Sorta yeah."

"You got an hour. If there's a fire while you're gone, I'm throwing you under the bus."

It wasn't much, but it would do. _He had to try_.

-F-

The darkening night sky was mostly covered in grey clouds that kept drenching the city, but luckily, certain areas were breaking free, stars glowing in the sky. At the beginning of her walk, Kagome had her yellow umbrella shielding her from the rain but as the intensity lessened, she dropped it down, enjoying the cooling of the drizzle on her skin. It wasn't much, but it was enough to soak her hair, her bun slowly coming undone with each of her steps. Miroku and Sango had headed home but she had decided to take the long way back to the shrine. Since the festival was initially supposed to happen, the set up was there; but it was like a ghost town. No festivities would take place today, no fireworks. Still, she wandered in the vicinity, a sad smile on her face.

It rarely rained during the festival, but it happened.

Once it rained back when her dad was still alive. It had been slightly different since the rain was always planned and no set up ever happened. She had been sad that they would miss the festival, but her dad hadn't disappointed. They had armed themselves with raincoats and umbrellas and he had taken her out there in the rain. Since the location of the festival had been emptied, they had played in the rain puddles instead. She remembered being drenched but happy. About an hour into it, the rain had slowed down, the sky becoming clearer. It was too late for any kind of festivities to take place, but it had given them the chance to see another kind of spectacle. She didn't know if everything looked newer and fresher because of the rain but the sky had never been so beautiful. Since there would be no fireworks for them to watch, her father had introduced her to stargazing instead.

_"Stars are bright lights in the sky."_

_"Like fireworks?"_

_"They burn like fireworks but they're different. No matter what, the stars will always be there."_

_Little Kagome had abandoned her umbrella a long time ago, but her little hood remained on her head - even though the rain had ceased. However, as she tilted her head back, trying to take in all the stars filling the night sky, it fell off her head. "Daddy, are the stars new every night?"_

_He chuckled. "No, it's always the same stars pumpkin. They even have names."_

_"They do?"_

_And so, for the next hour, he proceeded to show her the different stars in the sky, the shape they formed and the names they had. She couldn't always picture them clearly, she couldn't always understand what they meant, but she listened and watched intensively as her father went through them all. They laid in the wet grass as he pointed to the stars and she watched his fingers as they draw imaginary line across the stars, filling the night sky with new wonders._

_"Why did we name them?"_

_"You know how daddy uses a map when we drive?"_

_She nodded._

_"Before, people didn't use map. They used the stars. They would follow them and the stars would guide them home."_

After that year, it never rained again during the festival - at least not while her dad was alive. And then watching the stars by herself on days that it did - well it wasn't the same. By now, she had forgotten most of theirs names or the shape they took, but right now, as she stood alone in the field, her heart heavy, she could feel her dad by her side. Most of the stars were hidden by patches of clouds, but if she kept walking forward, she could move on to the next clear spot in the sky. She kept her head up, knowing the vicinity was fairly void of anyone else, and she moved forward, following the path of the stars. This year, she couldn't make a wish. She couldn't honor the tradition she had with her dad, but she could take a moment to remember him. She didn't think; she just walked. She tried to recall the sound of his voice as he explained the marvel of the stars to her but too many years had passed.

She had forgotten how he sounded, the way he talked.

A few tears burned her eyes, but she pressed forward. It wasn't until she heard a _slouch_ that she stopped. Eyebrows raised, she peered down to her feet. The laughter that bubbled out of her boomed through the quietness that surrounded her. The pond. She had walked all the way to the pond without even realizing it. A pond she was _mad_ at for swallowing her cellphone and ruining it beyond repair. Then again, that was a year ago now. Clearly, it hadn't been meant to be. It had been a nice kiss though. The last kiss she had as a matter of fact. Kouga was the only other person she had kissed except for Inuyasha. And after seeing him two years in a row, on this exact date, the impromptu meetings were no more. On a day of rain no less. How ironic…

She quickly dragged her feet out of the water, leaving trails of mud on the edge. She lifted her gaze up, staring at the night sky one more time. Time to let the stars _actually_ guide her home.

"I love you dad," she said as she returned to the pavement, ignoring the stars and walking back home.

 _Maybe next year_ _would be luckier_.

Too bad she couldn't make her wish again this year. Didn't they say that third times' the charm?

Maybe it would come true anyway. Even if it wasn't hanging off a tree branch. Even if lights didn't light up the water or the sky.

It was time to return to reality.

-F-

A bit to the left.

A lot to the right.

Turn, spin, backtrack.

He had done it all but he had never caught a glimpse of another person roaming down the streets. He was all alone, searching the horizon for someone who was long gone by now. He wasn't surprised; it had taken him too long to see Ginta's message. Honestly, he felt a little ridiculous. At this point he was soaked and this had been for nothing. What had he been thinking chasing down after her? To say what? How could he have explained any of this? He was such a fucking idiot. At least the rain had stopped in the last few minutes; maybe he would be able to dry a little before he got back to the fire station. He really wasn't in the mood to put up with Bankotsu's teasing and if he showed up soaking wet, he was in for it.

Now that the sky was clearing up fully, the moon was shining brightly, leaving the trails and the paths a little clearer. Now that the area wasn't lite up with the many lights from the festival and they were far enough from the building, it was easy to see all the stars filling the sky. It almost reminded him of when he had moved to the United States with his parents. His dad worked a lot and he had many assignments that forced him to leave home for extended periods of time. Back when they lived in Japan, his dad always made time for him, but that quickly diminished with their new lifestyle. The first few years were rough on him and he missed his father a lot. They didn't always know when exactly he would come back, so whenever he was gone for more than a week, Kouga had taken up the habit of waiting for him. He would sit outside on the stairs, staring at their empty driveway and he would _pray_ to see the lights of his father's car.

It never happened.

Still, his mom always tried to cheer him up.

_"I know your dad works a lot."_

_"It's okay."_

_She put her arm around his shoulder, wrapping her fingers around it and bringing him closer to her chest. "It's okay to not be okay, Kouga." She sighed. "I know your dad misses you too." They had uproot him from everything h knew and now, he didn't even have his father - a man whom he worshipped. She knew he was still little, too little to fully understand why they were doing this._

_"Do you think so?"_

_She nodded. "Of course he does. Look," she grabbed his chin with her fingers and lifted his head. "You see the moon, you see the stars?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"Well, anytime you miss your dad, you should look up."_

_"Why?"_

_"Because wherever he is, he's looking at the same sky, the same stars, the same moon."_

_"So?"_

_"So, it'll be like you're looking at it together."_

_He shrugged. "I guess."_

_She ruffled his hair with her hand, causing him to flash her the tiniest of smile. "Don't stay out too long, it's cold."_

_"I promise."_

_But he stayed outside at least another hour_.

He eventually outgrew waiting for his dad, but from time to time, his mother's words had brought him some comfort. Now he was old enough to know better and he knew she had just been a mother trying to uplift her child's spirits. However, he knew this was defeat; he wasn't going to run into Kagome. He tried. He didn't pay much attention as he kept walking into the same direction until he saw muddy tracks. He looked up, following them, and noticing that they led… to the pond. A laughter rumbled from his chest. It seemed like despite the rain, someone had the same idea they had two years ago; a small dip in the pond. Mud was piled up at the edge, and he wondered for a brief second why the person wore their shoes into the water. That was a good way to ruin them.

Kouga lifted his arm up and glanced at his watch; the hour Bankotsu had given up was almost up; he should be heading back. Already it was lucky enough that his pager never went off; he hadn't missed a fire. It would be hard to justify why he was missing, especially since he was coming back empty handed with nothing to show for. It had been silly to believe their paths were going to cross. They only seem to meet up during the festival. He had read up on this little festival after meeting her the first time. It was actually funny if he thought about it. The two lovers could never meet when it rained. What a coincidence… Great. Now he was the dumbass he made fun of the first time they met. Back when he told her he didn't think true love was a realistic concept.

That didn't make him feel any less stupid…

It was time for him to return to reality.

A ding took him by surprise, his heart racing as he initially mistook it for his pager. Once he realized it was his cellphone, he retrieved it from his back pocket. It was a text from Ginta. _Did ya find her_?

 _Nope_ , he hurried to reply. _She's gone_.

_Sorry, we shoulda tried to stop her._

He put his phone away without replying. It wasn't their fault but he didn't know what to say to this. He already felt crazy enough as it was. Did he actually leave work to chase down a girl he barely knew? It didn't matter if she was interested or not after all, or if that story was true or not. It was _insane_. He'd never done something like this before. He had abandoned everything on the off chance that he might run into her. He had no speech prepare, nothing to say to her and he did it anyway. And what good did that do him? He was wet, he was alone and now he had to hurry back before he got into some shit. He felt like a freaking idiot.

From where he stood he could see the tree, the one had had wished upon the first time they met. So far, his wish hadn't come true - but then again, it wasn't like he believed that it would. It had been a silly _moment_.

He had taken a shift this year, regardless of the fact that he thought the festival would happen. The guys had tried to convince him to go, but he hadn't given into the peer pressure. Although he had wanted to know where he had gone wrong and why she didn't even _talk_ to him to turn him down, he had opted not to go down that road. Yes, he had been under the impression that the kiss had gone well, and she was interested but - he never heard from her. Now, his view on the events were slightly changed. Could it really be that she had no way to reach him? Was it possible that something had happened? It was easier to close the door when he was completely persuaded that she didn't want anything to do with him. It was a completely different story when the thought of possibility and hope existed.

Kouga had told himself that he wouldn't come back. He had never been interested in the festival in the first place.

And yet, now he found himself hesitating. Maybe he could give that wish thing _one last try_.

He tore his eyes away from the tree, looking up at the sky once more, the moon nearly full and round, staring right back at him, the thousands of stars visible in the vicinity shining a bright white color.

Maybe, just maybe… she was looking at the starry sky too.

-F-


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi peeps! I meant to finish this back in July but you know... life. So confinement 2.0 here. Not gonna lie, that with post partum has been messing with my mental health a little. Don't feel like doing much. But, hanging in there! I hope everybody is keeping safe and healthy! xoxo. (Probably full of mistakes ! My bad!)

Another year, another chance.

Unlike last year, the sun had been present all day. It had slowly begun to set, disappearing into the horizon, leaving splashes of orange and yellow mingling with the darkening blue sky. Kagome was staring ahead, her arms lifted above her head as she tried to fix up her messy bun as the chopsticks kept slipping away. She had to go into school for a few hours to prepare for the next days' activities and she had rushed her way back to make it on time. It showed; her appearance was more flawed than usual. It didn't matter, she made it. Last year had been taken away from her, but this year would be different.

Except _he_ wouldn't be there. In the past four years, she had been single for three of them, and alone for four since Inuyasha had missed their last one together. She had gone on a few dates - after Sango tried to push her out there, but nothing had lasted. Kagome was more than aware that she was to blame; she expected… a spark. The same kind she had with Inuyasha, the same one she had felt when Kouga kissed her that night under the fireworks. So far; no sparks. Maybe it was asking for too much. Maybe it was something that would take its time and eventually hit her all at once, or maybe it would build up over time. Maybe she _was_ wearing pink colored glasses when it came to love. True love.

"Hoping to see a handsome stranger?"

Kagome dropped her arms to her sides, completely giving up on being presentable and gave Sango a side eye. "If I didn't think he was gonna be there last year, I highly doubt he is gonna be here this year."

"Then maybe you should hurry and make a wish." She didn't know if he was going to be there or if a relationship between the two of them would even work. There was however one thing she did know; it was holding Kagome back. She wasn't saying it - maybe she didn't even realize it, but it was. Kagome. Who always believed in the good in people, in true love… she had been swooned. And she never got closure. It had to be holding her back during her dates with other men. If at least she could see him and move on…

"Wish for a handsome stranger?"

"Why not?"

"I'll pass. I'm okay." These were her first single years since she was sixteen years old. It gave her time to think, time to discover herself and there was nothing wrong with that.

"Suit yourself."

Kagome quirked an eyebrow. "That's it? No speech, no get yourself out there?"

Sango shrugged her shoulders. "I have been telling you that for years. If it was gonna do something, it would have by now."

Kagome squinted her eyes, angling her body away from Sango. " _Sure_."

"Yup. As a matter of fact," she began while taking a few steps away from Kagome. "I'll let you be today." Her face broke into a huge smile as she walked backwards. "I'll let fate take care of it."

Kagome opened her mouth, ready to argue with her, but Sango never gave her the chance. Instead, she spun around, waving goodbye at her as she venture away from her. Something wasn't right. Sango didn't give up _that_ easily. They had been friends for years, and never _ever_ did she let Kagome get away with anything. Something was up. The festival wasn't _that_ big; she couldn't spend the whole night hiding from her. She could find her. Kagome took a deep breath, her chest expanding, before she went in pursue of her friend.

"Quick question."

Her eyes widened, showing the whites and she stopped mid stride. _That voice_.

"Since this has _never_ happened to me before – how many times can you be turned down by the same girl before it's considered creepy?"

She allowed a smile to tug at the corner of her lips before she spun around, facing him. For a second time, he had opted for the proper attire: a simple black kimono. Funny how the last time she saw him, he said he would never dress up again. So much for _never_. Her smile grew in size as she watched the grin on his face.

He shrugged. "Asking for a friend, obviously."

"Obviously," she repeated. There was no reason for him to be here. He didn't enjoy the festival – and she hadn't called him back. Two years had gone by and yet there he was, talking to her, the _flirt_ switch on. "Technically, I didn't turn you down."

He chuckled. "You're right. No text, no phone call in two years – I'm reading into it. My bad. I always have this problem where I'm trying to go _too fast_. What's the appropriate amount of time to wait for a first date? Five years? Ten years? I don't wanna seem eager."

Although his humor was entertaining, she did owe him a small explanation. Time to accept the shame that came with the clumsiness. "I wreck it." She sighed. "After you left, I dropped my phone in the pond."

"You know, if you didn't want my number, you didn't have to destroy your phone, you coulda just said no," he teased. That put together a lot of the puzzle pieces. It explained the situation from last year and most of all, why he had never heard from her.

"Yes. Because you seem to handle rejection _so well._ "

"Stubborn. That's the word you're looking for I think." She laughed, the sound echoing through the relatively empty vicinity around them. " _Actually._ I'll have you know that I am here with someone."

The news came so unexpectedly that she was hopeless in hiding her expression of shock. Her pink painted lips parted and her heard jerked back as the words sunk in. _Really._ What did she expect? It had been two years. What did she think he would do? Wait around for a girl – a girl he had met twice – and whom he believed had never called him? No one would do that. He was charming, good looking, funny… obviously someone had snatched him up. She felt a weight at the pit of her stomach, a dreadful pressure but chose not to show it. Instead, she opted for a smile.

"That's - great news! I'm happy for you."

"I'm kidding. I just wanted to see your jealous face. Totally worth it."

"I should slap you."

"Kinky. I could get into it."

"You're hopeless."

"Clearly. I mean, I'm still _here_."

"I'm gonna start thinking you don't hate it as much as you say you do."

He tilted his head to the side. "Yeah, well, maybe I'm starting to get why someone would be willing to wait a whole year for _one day_."

The legend. She found herself laying her hand on her heart, feeling the quickening of it beneath her own touch. The one he had said was stupid. The one he didn't find romantic. This was crazy right? It was the _third_ time she was seeing him. She didn't know him - he didn't know her. She _did_ know he was an excellent kisser but beyond that… this could be doomed after one single date. It didn't matter how many rational thoughts she tried to force into her head; she couldn't be rational. Kouga was straightforward. Something that easily caught her off guard, but something she did appreciate. Her speech to Sango, her own thoughts; she wanted to go against them all.

"So, should I ask you if you have a boyfriend, or are we gonna skip over the imaginary significant other part and move on to me sweeping you off your feet?"

"You're awfully confident."

"You're right, kissing you under the fireworks is gonna be hard to beat. And imagine - after I did that, I had to wait 2 years to here from you. I can't even think about what I'm gonna have to do if I wanna see you tomorrow."

 _Yup_. Being bold was not a problem for him. Her cheeks burned red like a fire, forcing her to stare at the ground since she could no longer handle the intensity of his gaze; he was going all in. "Bold of you to assume you'll succeed."

"I'm stubborn enough," he said as he took a step forward. "But, first thing first, I think the _non_ clumsy person should be the one holding on to the phone number." He took his phone out of the pocket of his kimono and turned on the screen. "For safety reasons of course."

"Giving my number to a complete stranger… I don't know."

He offered her a bemused smile, a laughter spilling out. "Remember earlier when I asked how many rejections were too many?"

She sunk her teeth in her bottom lip, her grin on display as she took the phone from his hands. She quickly entered her number, hoping the rapidity of her actions would hide the shaking of her fingers. Once it was saved, she returned the device to him.

Kouga hurried to put it back in his pocket. "As long as we stay away from the pond, we should be good."

"Ha. Ha."

"Now, if I remember correctly, the first step is the food right?"

"What?"

"We get food, we talk then I kiss you? Isn't that how it goes?"

Her cheeks were beginning to hurt from all the smiling. "We'll see I guess."

"See, I would take that as a hit to my pride, but, last I remember, my kissing skills seemed up to part last time."

"Maybe you lost your touch."

"Then I guess you're right; we'll see."

"Better keep up," she said as she turned around, beelining for the first kiosk.

"Yes ma'am."

-F-

"Can I ask you something?"

"I was born like this."

"What?"

"You were gonna ask how is it possible that I'm this handsome? I was born like this."

She twisted her mouth to the side, doing her best to contain the laughter threatening to bubble out of her chest; she didn't want to give him the satisfaction. Instead, she smacked him on the side of his arm, softly shaking her head. " _Actually_ , I was gonna ask why you came?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you didn't know I _couldn't_ call you. Last year there was the rain… why come here after two years?"

"Asks the _hopelessly_ romantic girl."

"Yes, the hopelessly romantic girl is asking the _ew romance, what romance_ guy."

"Two years' a long time. Maybe I've changed."

Obviously.

He ran his fingers through his bangs pushing them to the side. "If I get really creepy, are ya gonna run?"

Her eyes narrowed. "How creepy are we talking about here?"

Kouga shoved his hand in his popcorn bag, taking another handful before answering her. He had been hesitant about sharing this part of the story with her but now that they were talking about it… "I might have known that you hadn't been rejecting me."

"Okay, the crept out part is starting…"

"Last year. You were at a café with your friends right?"

"Wow, you weren't lying about the creepy," she replied as she came to a halt.

"Two friends of mine saw you. They heard my name, your name… they may or may not have taken a photo and sent it to me…" And she was silent. "So I sorta headed there… but you were gone. Kinda looked around but didn't see you…" Kinda looked around was downplaying it a lot but, he wasn't sure he wanted to appear any creepier than the mental picture she currently had of him. "And yeah. So I thought, I'd give it a shot this year. Wasn't really sure _how_ you lost my number but… figured I'd try."

…Last year… they had missed each other by a moment? She trie to scramble her brain, but she couldn't recall seeing anyone that might have eavesdrop on their conversation. Not that she didn't believe him but… if she had noticed… maybe? No, it didn't matter. The year had gone and pass now. Though she couldn't help but wonder how close they came to running into each other. She had hung around for a while after the café but, she couldn't recall seeing anyone else walking the rainy area…

"Then again, the legend does say no meeting on rainy days right?"

He remembered it well for someone who didn't believe in it, or that didn't see the point of hanging on to a lost love. "Yeah," she whispered. She found herself overwhelmed by the smouldering intensity in his eyes and she cleared her throat. "Too bad we missed each other."

"Not too crept out."

"By your friends? A little," she replied amused. "Honestly, in a reverse situation, I'm pretty sure Sango would have done the same."

"Yeah, she looked pretty amused by the fact that I was standing behind you."

Kagome groaned. "I thought it was weird she was in a rush to leave me…"

"I'm surprised she didn't bolt any faster than that."

That solved two mysteries then.

"So."

"So?"

"Since you're not creeped not and you don't look like you're about to run away… how does this work?"

"How does what work?"

"Well, am I allowed to ask you out on a date in the near future… or am I supposed to wait a whole year again?"

"Maybe I could bend the rules a little. I guess I could let you ask me out."

"Only took three years."

"To be fair, one of them we were both taken."

He was a loyal person, he never strayed - but… but he wasn't sure how easy it would have been to have said no to her that first year. Luckily, he hadn't been put to the test… He had been sort of swoon since day one. "True. But, clearly we were both with the wrong person."

If she looked at how much happier and committed Inuyasha was now? He wasn't wrong. It didn't mean it didn't hurt a little to know that all those years all those plans had been for nothing but- well, if it wasn't meant to be, it wasn't. It was becoming obvious that when the universe had a plan in mind, there was very little that could be done to stop it. Yes, the break up had been rough but now she was happier for it. Obviously, there was something else planned for her. "True."

"Then, next question. Is it weird to ask you out for brunch?"

"Brunch?"

He slouched forward. "I may be working nights this week." But he wasn't about to give the universe any chance to screw this up.

Right. Firefighter. "Usually, maybe. In this case, no."

"You work all week right, with the kids? How about next Saturday? The little bistro across the street from here. 9am?"

"I'd say it's a date."

"Good. But just so we're clear, I don't mean Saturday a year from now."

"I didn't think you did," she replied laughing. "My turn to ask a question?"

"Are you still taking turns?"

"Looks like it." She stopped walking. "Can I ask why? I mean after all this time? I'm sure you didn't stay hole up at home, waiting to see me again." Despite how _flattering_ it would be to think that he had… She knew better. Even she had gone on dates. Why wait on someone when you didn't even know if you'd see them again?

"You see, three years ago, I met this girl. She believed in true love and _the one_ and falling head over heels in love. Made me break up with my girlfriend. And after doing all that, I thought I'd be damned if I didn't go and try to find that kind of love. No one else got my attention for long."

"No one else?"

He walked around her so that he was in front of her, towering over her with their difference in height. He leaned forward, his face _awfully_ close to hers, forcing her heart rate to pick up. "Two years later and it hasn't changed. Still chasing ya. You'd think I woulda gotten smarter but I can't quite get you out of my head."

She wasn't anything special; she was as regular as the next girl. They had shared what? One kiss? But she could hardly argue with his logic. It had been two years since she had last seen him and they had fallen back into rhythm without skipping a beat. It almost felt like she had seen him yesterday. There was something about him that was easy, comfortable, familiar - she couldn't find the words to explain it. That little spark that she had been searching for but never finding? It was there. She didn't have to try, she didn't have to force it; it came about on its own. Could it really be that easy, that effortless?

"Plus, I know you've probably been dreaming about me since that kiss and what kind of man would I be if I left you hanging like that?"

"And there it is," she said with a smile. "I can't tell if your cockiness gets worse or better with time."

"Worse, definitively worse."

"Good to know."

He pulled away from her before offering her his hand. "Fireworks should be soon. Wouldn't wanna miss them."

"And miss the best part? Never."

"I thought the wish was the best part."

"I don't have much to wish for this year."

She put her hand in his and she allowed him to lead the way into the crowd.

The first year, back before her relationship with Inuyasha fizzled out, she had made a wish. Some days she wondered if deep inside, she had known Inuyasha and her were not going to last. Maybe she had hidden the truth from herself, pushed aside the obvious, the clues… Maybe. But she had wished to be with her true love forever. Then she broke up with Inuyasha and she thought that was it. Not all wishes were meant to come true. But now, year after year, the same dark haired stranger was put on her path. Destiny was a funny thing and she didn't want to put all of her faith into it but… it led one to wonder…

Maybe…

-F-

"So let's say you had an _amazing_ first kiss with a girl. Outdoor, fireworks… is it alright to do it again? Or does it lack imagination?"

Kagome pressed her mouth closed tightly enough to turn her lips white. He would be the one to ask that while they were laying on the grass, staring at the sky and waiting for the fireworks to begin. It was the second time he was bringing up the kiss - after never bringing it up two years ago. It would be a lie to say that she didn't enjoy the kiss and it wasn't like lying to him would help; he had noticed her reaction to it. She wasn't someone who went around, kissing people. If she thought about it carefully, she probably had never initiated a kiss before - not that she had kissed many people. Maybe three? And really, most of her kisses had been with Inuyasha.

"I guess it depends. Are you trying to woo this girl?"

"Only for the past three years."

"Three years? Then you probably need something with a punch."

As she finally turned her head to look at him, she unfortunately caught sight of _someone else_. There, in her line of vision she could clearly see _Sango_. From that giant grin on her face it was more than certain that her friend had noticed her. Noticed her sitting next to Kouga. And she was waiting. Amusement was dancing in her eyes and she knew that she wasn't getting out of this one. Really? How was she supposed to act normal while Sango was staring at her like this? It wasn't like Kouga shared her shyness. He clearly wouldn't be upset with an audience. She was the one with the problem. The giant _staring_ problem.

"That's what I thought," he said, tilting his head to the side to make eye contact. "Everything okay?"

"Yep. Just waiting for the fireworks."

"Wow, you're a terrible liar. Barely know you and I know you're lying."

She dipped her head forward in defeat. "It's nothing, I just -"

"I get it. You're getting restless. You want your kiss."

"I didn't -" She felt his warm breath on her face as he closed the distance, his nose brushing up against hers. His eyelashes were close enough to tickle the skin of her cheeks and she found herself forgetting to breathe.

"I can fix that for you." He hovered over her lips, giving a taste but not enough. "Or am I gonna get that slap you were talking about earlier?"

"Guess we'll have to find out," she ushered.

He chuckled, tickling her lips, and dove in for the kiss. As soon as their lips locked, the first fireworks crackled into the sky, forcing her to jump and bump her chest into his. He laughed into her mouth as he wrapped an arm around her waist, the other one keeping them both steady. He could make a joke but he held back as he kept on savouring her. She tasted the same as she had before. Her head leaned back as he nibbled on her bottom lip before swiping his tongue across it, silently asking her to open her mouth. And she did. His tongue mingled with hers, tasting her, feeling her. There were more fireworks but he tuned them out as he enjoyed her small warmth pressed into him. _Couldn't fake that_.

By the time he pulled away, she was panting. Immediately her forehead rested up against his while she tried to catch her breath. Her chest was filling in and out, the air escaping as rapidly as it was coming in. She rolled her lips together, her lips smacking from the remaining wetness slather across them. She was trying to find the words to say but… someone beat her to the punch.

"WHOOOOO!"

He quirked an eyebrow, the voice a little too unfamiliar for him to be convinced he knew the origin of it. "Is that -"

"My ex friend Sango, yes, yes it is."

He laughed. "I like her enthusiasm."

"That makes one of us." She buried her face in his chest, hoping it would hide away the growing blush on her cheeks. "I'm never telling her anything again."

"From the looks of it, she has a little voyeurism side. She doesn't need you to tell her anything."

"Funny."

"I think so."

"You understand that I will _never_ hear the end of it right?"

"Then maybe we should give her more, make her speechless."

"Settle down mister."

"You're right. Maybe next year."

"You're never gonna let that one go are you?"

"I'm gonna wait until Saturday - to make sure."

"Afraid I'll disappear?"

"You never know. So far, I haven't been very lucky."

"Saturday, I'll be there."

He turned around, leaning back stretched out across the grass. "I'll hold you up to it."

She smiled, tearing her eyes away from him so that she could stare at the reminder of the fireworks, pushing aside the obvious glance she was getting from Sango. She had almost doubted that wishes could come true - _but maybe_ she had been too quick to give up.

Time would tell.

-F-

"Oi, Kouga!"

He ran a hand across his face, trying to wash off the sleepiness and grogginess from the _loud_ wake up. He kept his eyes semi-closed, the sunlight abrasive has it emerged through the half pulled curtains. Bankotsu's shrieking voice was _not_ the first thing he wanted to hear in the morning. Luckily, no one had started a fire during the night and he had been able to get some much needed rest. _Until now that was_. He snatched his pillow from behind his head and tossed it at his colleague that stood in the stairs. "What do you want?"

"Someone for you at the door."

"Tell 'em I'm busy."

Bankotsu chuckled. "Alright, but if you won't have a go at her, I'm sure one of the other guys might."

 _What_.

"She?"

"Pretty brunette. And I'm very objective."

"Did she give a name?"

"Kagome."

 _Fuck_. What? What day was it? Saturday? No. Couldn't be. He was working. No, no, it was Thursday. He hopped to his feet and rushed downstairs. He dashed so fast he knocked into Bankotsu who had to hold on to the railway as to not fall over. When he arrived downstairs, she was standing in the middle of the two open doors, a little basket in her hands. Her hair was put up in a ponytail and as he took noticed of her little green dress he realized that it was the _first_ time he was seeing her out of a kimono. She looked _amazing_ and though he had guessed, he could now officially confirmed what a lovely shape she was hiding under all the layers.

"Hey," he said, his hand trailing off the rail guard.

"Hey." She popped her lips. "Are the budget cuts so bad, you guys can't afford pants?"

"W-wh-" At her words he looked down only to _remember_ he was still in _just_ his boxers. Right. The whole sleeping thing. "Well, you know, it's easier for the calendar photos," he quickly recovered.

"I'll remember that."

"Not that I'm complaining, but, aren't ya a little early?"

"Water pipe broke down at school so they had to shut us down for the day. I thought I'd - I'd take advantage and prove to you I exist the other days of the year." That and Sango had nearly pushed her out of the school. But she wasn't going to complain about it. She _was_ getting a little bit of a treat.

He broke into a smile before looking at his watch; he had 30 minutes left. "Well, if you have a bit of time, I'm almost done and then, we could take this to the park."

"I've got all day."

"Good."

"You might wanna put pants on though, it's a little cold."

"I could. Unless you're about to tell me this date is going to have a very R-rated ending. In that case I'll save some time and keep the pants off," he answered with a wink.

She shook her head, grinning from ear to ear. "I can 100% tell you, it'll be very G rated."

"PG-13?"

"We'll see how you behave."

"I'll take it." He laughed. "Gimme a min."

He flashed her one last smile before hopping up the stairs as fast as he could to make himself decent for their impromptu date. He ignored the little glances Bankotsu was throwing him as he began searching for his pants. She was here. And it wasn't the day of the festival. When he wrote on that stupid little piece of paper 4 years ago, he never thought he'd end up here. He met her as a non believer and a _taken_ man. Now, the most beautiful woman he had ever met was waiting for him downstairs with a picnic basket. What more could he ask for? Maybe he had been wrong. Maybe the kind of love she talked about was possible.

Maybe a man could wait a whole year to see the one he loved for one measly day.

But he wouldn't want to find that out with anyone but her.

-F-


End file.
